Eurostar

Eurostar Weekend City Break Gateway to Europe

A Eurostar city break allows you to visit more than 100 European destinations, with direct daily trains running form London’s St Pancras (formerly Waterloo) station to Paris, Brussels and Lille. Eurostar also operates seasonal services to Avignon in the summer months and the ski slopes of the French Alps in winter.

Paris is the original Eurostar city break and remains one of Europe’s most talked about destinations. Not content to sit quietly, Paris is a city that demands to be seen. The French capital is synonymous with all the good things in life; from epicurean excesses to romantic rendezvous and corrals together some of the finest museums on the continent. Paris may seem a world away from London, but hop on Eurostar and you can be there in just 2 hours and 35 minutes.

As the home of the European Union Brussels may have something of a reputation for cultural sobriety, but remember the Belgian capital produces more than 350 different types of beer. Brussels has plenty to keep visitors busy over a long weekend, from its animated café scene to an enviable collection of art galleries. Time your visit for July or August and Brussels erupts in a summer of festivities, celebrating everything from jazz to film.

Thanks to Eurostar, Lille is now an up and coming city break destination. Why most guidebooks insist that Lille is a ‘quaint, picture postcard’ daytrip is anyone’s guess, but the reality is much more exciting. Lille’s got its fair share of cultural landmarks (such as the Palais des Beaux Arts; second only to Paris’ Louvre) and was duly named European City of Culture in 2004. However, Lille is a thriving city, known as much for its shopping and nightlife as anything else. Lille’s plugged into the French rail network and is less than two hours’ from London

A Eurostar city break to Avignon serves up an unforgettable flavour of Provencal life. The historic city of Avignon has a refined taste for the finer things in life and with an average of 300 days of sunshine each year it makes a perfect ‘out of season’ break. The city itself is a work of art and its’ imposing architecture has earned Avignon its place as a World Heritage site.